Different arrangements are known to set up different drilling patterns in, for instance, universal-joint shaft drilling machines. (For instance, the DT-OS Nos. 2,038,999; 2,040,815 and 2,047,991 or the Swiss Pat. No. 396,578). In these known arrangements the individual boring spindles are conveyed on carriers and by means of the same set up to the respective new boring coordinates. These carriers however can usually not absorb high boring forces, so that the difficulties during a tool change at the setting up of a new boring pattern are not obviated by these known arrangements; and it is also not possible, to make ready a tool guide for the new boring pattern. In addition the expenditure for the positioning device by means of which a new boring pattern can be set up, is, in the known arrangements, exceedingly high.
An arrangement for multispindle drilling machines with universal-joint shafts is further known, in which an exchangeable setting up frame, in which the drilling spindles and the universal-joints shafts are positioned, may be taken out from the so-called headskirt. Due to this construction it is possible to set up the drilling pattern in this multispindle drilling machine outside the machine; however, the assembly and disassembly of the setting up frame has to be performed manually, which again is very time consuming. Furthermore, due to the large feed-in stroke for the setting up frame in this multispindle drilling machine, the guide ways have to be considerably longer than in known multispindle drilling machines, whereby the expenditure for the material and the construction of the machine is increased. The known multispindle drilling machine is also not suitable for its application in an automatic manufacturing system since the mounting and demounting of the setting up frame is not possible without manual operation. (DT-OS No. 1,977,854).